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PREVIEW OF WHITE HOUSE BUDGET, out Wed., from a senior administration official: “The budget will detail how we can invest in the things we need to attract more jobs … , equip our people with the skills they need, and ensure that hard work leads to a decent living – without adding a dime to the deficit. The President’s budget will also include his compromise offer to Speaker Boehner that would reduce the deficit by $1.8 trillion by cutting spending, finding savings in entitlement programs, and raising revenue by asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share. … [T]he President’s budget proposal would overall reduce the deficit by $1.8 trillion over 10 years. Together with the $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction we have already achieved, the President’s budget if enacted would bring total deficit reduction to over $4.3 trillion over ten years, reducing the deficit to 2.8 percent of GDP by 2016 and 1.7 percent by 2023, and getting us on a fiscally sustainable path with debt declining as a share of the economy.

“INCLUSION OF COMPROMISE OFFER: While this is not the President’s ideal deficit reduction plan, and there are particular proposals in this plan like the CPI change that were key Republican requests and not the President’s preferred approach, this is a compromise proposal … The President has made clear that he is willing to compromise and do tough things to reduce the deficit, but only in the context of a package like this one that has balance and includes revenues from the wealthiest Americans and that is designed to promote economic growth. That means that the things like CPI that Republican Leaders have pushed hard for will only be accepted if Congressional Republicans are willing to do more on revenues. This isn’t about political horse trading; it’s about reducing the deficit in a balanced way that economists say is best for the economy and job creation. That’s why the President’s offer – which will be reflected in his budget - isn’t a menu of options for them to choose from; it’s a cohesive package that reflects the kind of compromise we should be able to reach.

“NEW INVESTMENTS ARE FULLY OFFSET AND WON’T ADD TO DEFICIT -- Expanded access to Pre-K, paid for by an increase in tobacco tax: … [T]he budget includes a proposal the President laid out in the State of the Union that ensures four-year olds across the country have access to high-quality preschool education through a landmark new initiative in partnership with the states, and increases the availability of early learning … This proposal would give all our kids the best start early in life, and save hard-working families thousands each year in child care costs. …

“Sets limits on tax-preferred retirement accounts for millionaires and billionaires: The budget will also show how we can provide targeted tax relief to strengthen the economy, help middle class families and small businesses and pay for it by eliminating tax loopholes and make the tax system more fair. The budget will include a new proposal that prohibits individuals from accumulating over $3 million in IRAs and other tax-preferred retirement accounts. Under current rules, some wealthy individuals are able to accumulate many millions of dollars in these accounts, substantially more than is needed to fund reasonable levels of retirement saving. The budget would limit an individual’s total balance across tax-preferred accounts to an amount sufficient to finance an annuity of not more than $205,000 per year in retirement, or about $3 million in 2013. This proposal would raise $9 billion over 10 years.

“Closing Unemployment Insurance and Disability Insurance concurrent receipt loophole: The budget finds savings in government programs by making new, smart reforms that root out fraud and abuse. The budget closes a loophole in current law that allows people to collect full disability benefits and unemployment benefits that cover the same period of time. This will crack down on the practice of double dipping and claiming both unemployment benefits, which require people to show they’re looking for work, and disability benefits, which require them to show they are unable to work, saving money from duplicative payments.”

--AP headline: "Official: Obama proposes cuts to Social Security"

--JOE SCARBOROUGH: “Now THIS is a real budget. … THAT’S a real budget … exciting … a place to start.”

--JOSH GREEN, on “Morning Joe”: “Not a lefty wish list to compete with a righty wish list … A … move to the middle.”

--SAM STEIN: “He’s offered all this stuff before … This is the general framework of every grand-bargain offer.”

--N.Y. Times 1-col. lead, “SOCIAL PROGRAMS FACING A CUTBACK IN OBAMA BUDGET: SMALLER INCREASES SEEN – Show of Compromise Is Aimed at Reviving Deficit Deal,” by Jackie Calmes: “President Obama next week will take the political risk of formally proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare in his annual budget in an effort to demonstrate his willingness to compromise with Republicans and revive prospects for a long-term deficit-reduction deal … In a significant shift in fiscal strategy, Mr. Obama on Wednesday will send a budget plan to Capitol Hill that departs from the usual presidential wish list that Republicans typically declare dead on arrival. Instead it will embody the final compromise offer that he made to … Boehner late last year … The administration’s hope is to create cracks in Republicans’ antitax resistance, especially in the Senate, as constituents complain about the across-the-board cuts in military and domestic programs that took effect March 1. Mr. Obama’s proposed deficit reduction would replace those cuts. And if Republicans continue to resist the president, the White House believes that most Americans will blame them …

“Obama’s budget will propose a new inflation formula that would have the effect of reducing cost-of-living payments for Social Security benefits, though with financial protections for low-income and very old beneficiaries … The idea, known as chained C.P.I., has infuriated some Democrats and advocacy groups to Mr. Obama’s left, … [The budget] will arrive on Capitol Hill hours before the president dines on Wednesday evening with a dozen Senate Republicans … Neither the president nor senior aides privately hold much hope that [Boehner or McConnell] will compromise. So Mr. Obama’s strategy of reaching out to other Senate Republicans reflects a calculation that enough of them might cut a budget deal with the Democratic Senate majority. … He will propose more than $600 billion in new revenues — his last offer had called for $1.2 trillion in taxes — mostly by limiting to 28 percent the deductions that individuals in higher tax brackets can claim.” http://nyti.ms/YzHT4t

SCOOP: MARK ZUCKERBERG’S AMBITIOUS D.C. PLAN – Reid J. Epstein, with Michelle Quinn: “Under a section called ‘our tactical assets,’ [a] prospectus lists three reasons why ‘people in tech’ can be organized into ‘one of the most powerful political forces.’ ‘1: We control massive distribution channels, both as companies and individuals. We saw the tip of the iceberg with SOPA/PIPA. 2: Our voice carries a lot of weight because we are broadly popular with Americans. 3. We have individuals with a lot of money. If deployed properly this can have huge influence in the current campaign finance environment.’ … ‘Several prominent leaders in the tech community, operating solely as individuals, continue to work on forming an issues advocacy organization that would seek to promote issues such as comprehensive immigration reform and education reform,’ [one of the group’s founders, Joe Green, said in a statement to POLITICO] … The prospectus [outlines] a roster of founding members that serves as a who’s who of Silicon Valley. And it reveals a plan of how to push a political message that would benefit the technology elite to the masses who consume their product. …

“The roster of the Zuckerberg group’s founders … includes Netflix founder Reed Hastings, Twitter creator Jack Dorsey, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus and Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom. Venture capitalists Jim Breyer, Ron Conway and Paul Graham are also involved. … Signed on to be the Zuckerberg group’s campaign manager is Rob Jesmer, a former executive director of the [NRSC]. Serving as political advisers are two Bush White House veterans: Dan Senor … and Facebook executive Joel Kaplan. … [T]he group will be organized as a 501(c)4 social welfare organization, allowing it to receive unlimited contributions without a reporting requirement. …

“Under a ‘tactics’ section, the Zuckerberg group details plans for ‘grassroots and grasstops’ organizing in targeted congressional districts, online advocacy campaigns, paid online and television advertising … The prospectus says the group’s support will provide cover for the ‘many congressmen and senators who want to vote for this but need the political space at home’ … Seeds for the group may have been sown last summer when tech industry executives met to gripe that they needed to have a bigger, better organization for representing their industry’s vision and policy goals, something akin to the MPAA or NAM or PHARMA. … Last week, the Zuckerberg group hired two lobbying firms — Peck, Madigan, Jones & Stewart and Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock. Other consultants … include former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart of the Glover Park Group and Jon Lerner, a Republican strategist.” http://politi.co/10y94vz

** A message from Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly and Americans for Responsible Solutions: Reducing gun violence isn’t a partisan issue. Think of the families of Aurora, of Newtown, of Tucson, and make your voice heard. Join 90% of Americans who want universal background checks. http://bit.ly/ARSBackgroundChecks **

“KELLEY MCCORMICK JOINS SKDKNICKERBOCKER … as a Managing Director. … Most recently, Kelley was an Executive Vice President at McBee-Gibraltar, where she worked on a variety of corporate and non-profit campaigns that dealt with critical public health concerns such as obesity, the U.S. HIV/AIDS epidemic, and food allergies. She has extensive experience in branding and positioning, having worked on behalf of Dole Food, Gilead Sciences, the Financial Times, HBO, and the Bipartisan Policy Center. She advises several non-profit organizations including Running Start, CURE Epilepsy, and the Clinton Global Initiative. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Miss America Organization … ‘Kelley brings a unique skill set to our firm. She is an experienced and creative strategist who has worked every angle in the communications business, from marketing and branding, to corporate social responsibility and reputation building,’ said Hilary Rosen, Managing Director.”

THE FIRST PLAYBOOK DEAL DU JOUR is a classy condiment recommended by Josh Deckard. Playbook has found Sir Kensington’s gourmet “scooping ketchup” to be quite a conversation piece. Now there’s also mayonnaise, in classic and chipotle. Sir Kensington’s says this is the only U.S. mayo that's certified non-GMO (genetically modified organisms), with no artificial preservatives -- instead, lemon juice and vinegar. Playbookers get 20% off mayo at Sir Kensington’s online store; coupon code "mayonnaise.” See a one-pager about Sir Kensington’s. http://bit.ly/10BQh1v ... www.sirkensingtons.com

2016 WATCH – “Hillary Clinton book expected in 2014” – Will focus on foreign policy -- AP National Writer Hillel Italie: “Hillary Rodham Clinton has a deal for a memoir … about her years in the Obama administration [to be published by] Simon & Schuster … The book has yet to be titled and is tentatively scheduled for June 2014, in time for the summer reading season and for the midterm elections, when a promotional tour could easily blend with Democratic efforts work to recapture the House. … ‘Hillary Clinton's extraordinary public service has given her a unique perspective on recent history and the challenges we face,’ Jonathan Karp, president and publisher of the Simon & Schuster Publishing Group and the book's editor, said … Clinton reportedly received $8 million for the 2003 memoir, ‘Living History,’ also published by Simon & Schuster. As with "Living History," Clinton was represented by … Robert Barnett … Karp previously served as editor for another Barnett client, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy … Clinton does not plan to write about the 2008 campaign or any possible future runs.”

CHELSEA CLINTON is on cover of this weekend's PARADE – “Chelsea Clinton leans in,” by Lynn Sherr: “Chelsea, 33, will be front and center this weekend in St. Louis, helping to run CGI U, an annual meeting for college students held through the Clinton Global Initiative, which her father launched in 2005 to develop innovative solutions to challenges around the world. The CGI U sessions require attendees to make a Commitment to Action, a concrete plan to tackle a local or global problem. The conference itself emphasizes practicalities and logistics, with speakers and workshops that explain how to get projects done.”

--On whether she will influence her mother’s decision on running for president: “Right now, I want her to rest. … Ultimately I want her to make whatever she thinks is the right decision. I always want to help her in any way I can, because I unapologetically and unabashedly am deeply biased toward my mother.” http://bit.ly/10BQtOq

REMEMBERING ROGER EBERT – Chicago Tribune, “CRITIC HAD POET’S SOUL: On the page, on TV and online, Ebert’s passions went far beyond the films he loved,” by Rick Kogan: “The Pulitzer Prize-winning movie critic for the Chicago Sun-Times for more than 45 years, and for more than three decades the co-host of one of the most powerful programs in television history (initially with the late Gene Siskel, the Chicago Tribune's movie critic), Ebert died Thursday in Chicago. He was 70 years old and was no stranger to hospitals. … Still, his death was a shock, coming only two days after he posted a relatively buoyant update on his popular rogerebert.com blog indicating that, even though his cancer had returned, he optimistically and hopefully would be taking ‘a leave of presence.’ ‘It means I am not going away,’ Ebert wrote. ‘... I'll be able at last to do what I've always fantasized about doing: reviewing only the movies I want to review.’” http://trib.in/16B0ChK

--ROGER EBERT’S LAST POST, on Tue. night on his Sun-Times blog: “Forty-six years ago on April 3, 1967, I became the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. … I write over 200 reviews a year for the Sun-Times that are carried by Universal Press Syndicate … Last year, I wrote the most of my career, including 306 movie reviews … I am re-launching the new and improved Rogerebert.com and taking ownership of the site under a separate entity, Ebert Digital, run by me, my beloved wife, Chaz, and our brilliant friend, Josh Golden of Table XI. Stepping away from the day-to-day grind will enable me to continue as a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, and roll out other projects under the Ebert brand in the coming year.” http://bit.ly/10i1KE

--Statement by the President on the Passing of Roger Ebert”: “Michelle and I are saddened to hear about the passing of Roger Ebert. For a generation of Americans - and especially Chicagoans - Roger was the movies. When he didn't like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive - capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical. Even amidst his own battles with cancer, Roger was as productive as he was resilient - continuing to share his passion and perspective with the world. The movies won't be the same without Roger, and our thoughts and prayers are with Chaz and the rest of the Ebert family.”

--N.Y Times gives Ebert a front-page obit, “A Critic for the Common Man” … USA Today 1A, “A thumbs-up to Roger Ebert, forever at the movies: His writing and passion for film were inspiring” … Cover of Chicago Sun-Times is a black-and-white portrait of Ebert, with no type except “1942-1913.” http://bit.ly/XVT6Nn

THE JUICE – N.Y. Times A1, “Schumer’s New Brief: Turning Foes into Friends,” by Jeremy W. Peters: “There are now regular early-morning chats on immigration reform with Marco Rubio in the Senate gym. There was the excursion last week to the Mexican border with John McCain … Just this week, [Sen. Chuck] Schumer spent a good deal of time on the phone with Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, … trying to keep the door open to a deal that would expand background checks for all gun sales. No one in the Senate right now has a legislative portfolio thicker than Mr. Schumer’s, and no one’s political fortunes are as closely linked to the outcome of the major public policy fights now consuming Congress. He is not only a whisperer to Republicans but also an envoy to the White House and a trusted confidant to the majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, who having handpicked Mr. Schumer to keep Republicans in the minority is now counting on him as his most important bipartisan bridge builder.” http://nyti.ms/Zc3Dz1

THE OTHER GANG – “House group finalizing immigration bill,” by AP’s Erica Werner: The “path to citizenship … is likely to take at least 15 years for many, longer than envisioned by Senate immigration negotiators or by President Obama. … [T]he bill should be ready to be released in the next week or two … The House group … has a core of four Republicans and four Democrats.” Ds are Reps. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, Zoe Lofgren and Xavier Becerra of California, and John Yarmuth of Kentucky. Rs are Reps. John Carter of Texas, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Sam Johnson of Texas and Raul Labrador of Idaho. http://bit.ly/10E47Pr

PULLING BACK THE CAMERA – WashPost A1, “Democrats steer Md. decidedly to the left,” by Paul Schwartzman: “Benefits for illegal immigrants. Same-sex marriage. Strict regulations on gun purchases. Over the past two years, Maryland has enacted laws that represent a dramatic liberal shift, even for a state long dominated by Democrats. Driving the progressive swing is Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and the Maryland General Assembly, which now embraces legislation that it previously rejected. Emboldened by victories in statewide referendums, the governor and his allies have imposed tax increases, repealed the death … Now, as the legislative session in Annapolis comes to an end, the state faces the question of whether Maryland is becoming a reliably liberal bastion like Massachusetts, California and Vermont. Or has the state’s Democratic leadership moved too far to the left, potentially endangering incumbents at the polls in 2014?” http://wapo.st/ZDn4AK

MEDIAWATCH – BLOOMBERG PULLS TWEETS INTO TERMINAL – Bloomberg release: “Bloomberg announced … that it is the first financial information platform to integrate real-time Twitter feeds directly into the investment workflows of market professionals. The announcement follows this week's decision by the [SEC] to allow companies to use social media for corporate disclosures. … Bloomberg Professional service subscribers can now monitor and analyze real-time Twitter updates issued by corporations, executives, government officials, economists, commentators, media outlets and other voices that can influence the financial markets. … Bloomberg classifies tweets by company, asset class, person and topic … [S]ubscribers can now create Twitter filters … at TWTR.” http://bit.ly/Z5PPa9

BUSINESS BURST – BANK OF AMERICA will turn over its huge sign in Times Square to nonprofits this weekend., in conjunction with the launch of a new brand campaign: “Starting at noon on Saturday … through Monday evening, Bank of America will highlight a series of nonprofit organizations who are doing remarkable work … Every few minutes, a new organization will appear and encourage passers-by to connect with these groups by taking photos of the sign and utilize social media channels to show their support.”

--Boston Globe A1, “Automated teller machines add, well, tellers: Bank of America to offer a live video connection,” by Callum Borchers: “Customers and remote tellers will be able to see and speak to one another in the same way that people talk on the popular video-calling service Skype — face-to-screen interactions that will make possible transactions that cannot be completed on traditional ATMs, such as cashing checks down to the penny and receiving bills in a variety of denominations, including $1, $5, $20, and $100.”

SPORTS BLINK – FINAL FOUR WEEKEND, at Georgia Dome, in Atlanta -- CBS sports release: “Louisville, Wichita State, Michigan and Syracuse march in to Atlanta as Turner Sports and CBS Sports provide exclusive coverage of the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and Final Four. For the 32nd consecutive year, CBS Sports broadcasts [the Final Four] … [The] semi-final games [are] Saturday, 6-11 p.m., and the National Championship game [is] Monday [at 9 p.m.] … Saturday’s Final Four features Wichita State versus Louisville with tip-off scheduled for 6:09 PM … Forty minutes after the game concludes, Syracuse takes on Michigan to determine the other participant in Monday night’s Championship game. CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg, and Turner Sports’ Steve Kerr call the games, with Tracy Wolfson serving as reporter. Nantz calls his 28th Final Four.” http://bit.ly/16vxarG

--Atlanta Journal-Constitution A1, “Hoopla for hoops hits town: Part sporting event, part social phenomenon and part traffic jam, the NCAA Final Four will occupy downtown Atlanta through Monday … Crowds of100,000 are expected daily around the venues.”

–Congrats to college basketball coach Jeff Jones, a friend of POLITICO, moving from American University to Old Dominion University – The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot, “ODU's Jeff Jones era begins,” by Ed Miller: “Athletic director Wood Selig … lauded Jones for his experience, his work ethic, his connections, his knowledge of the game and his success … in the game's highest levels -- in the ACC as a player and head coach at Virginia … ‘As one coach told me about Jeff: “All he does is win.’” http://bit.ly/YWQ1vv

** A message from Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly and Americans for Responsible Solutions:

“After I was shot, I had to give up my seat in Congress. But I’ve never forgotten what I went there to do: to serve my community and my country. Now, the country wants us to pass universal background checks – a commonsense solution to gun violence that respects our 2nd Amendment rights. As a survivor of gun violence and a gun owner, I am part of the 90% of Americans who are asking our representatives to hear our voices and help make it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to get dangerous weapons. Mark and I are committed to our proud American tradition of gun ownership and independence, and we’re saying no to extremists and yes to solutions that will keep our kids and our communities safer.” http://bit.ly/ARSBackgroundChecks **